Eye drop illumination device and method

Abstract

An eye drop dispenser includes a light absorbing element that emits light to facilitate properly aligning the eye drop dispenser with the eye while in the dark.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An eye drop dispenser for dispensing a fluid to an eye, the eye drop dispenser comprising:
 an eye drop dispenser bottle for containing the fluid, the eye drop dispenser bottled configured to dispense the fluid as eye drops when inverted; and   an eye drop aimer ring extending around the eye drop dispenser bottle, wherein the eye drop aimer ring is comprised of light absorbing material that emits light in the dark that is visible by the eye to align the inverted eye drop dispenser bottle with the eye.   
     
     
         2 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the eye drop aimer ring is circular. 
     
     
         3 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the eye drop aimer ring is removable from the eye drop dispenser bottle. 
     
     
         4 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 3 , wherein the eye drop aimer ring is elastically deformable to expand for positioning the eye drop aimer ring over the eye drop dispenser bottle and to thereafter contract to secure the eye drop aimer ring to the eye drop dispenser bottle. 
     
     
         5 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 4 , wherein the eye drop dispenser bottle includes a rim and the eye drop aimer ring expands to pass over the rim and contracts under the rim to secure the eye drop aimer ring to the eye drop dispenser bottle. 
     
     
         6 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 5 , wherein the eye drop aimer ring includes an inner diameter, the rim includes an outer diameter, and the inner diameter of the eye drop aimer ring is less than the outer diameter of the rim. 
     
     
         7 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the eye drop dispenser bottle includes a base and a cap secured to the base; and   the base forms the eye drop aimer ring.   
     
     
         8 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein the cap is secured to the base with integral, frangible bridges. 
     
     
         9 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein the cap, base, and frangible bridges are each comprised of light absorbing material that emits light in the dark. 
     
     
         10 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the eye drop aimer ring is formed by a light absorbing paint applied around the eye drop dispenser bottle. 
     
     
         11 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the eye drop aimer ring is formed by a light absorbing tape applied around the eye drop dispenser bottle. 
     
     
         12 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the eye drop aimer ring is cast or molded with the eye drop dispenser bottle. 
     
     
         13 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the eye drop dispenser bottle includes a nozzle, and the nozzle is comprised of light absorbing material that emits light in the dark. 
     
     
         14 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the eye drop dispenser bottle is aligned with the eye when the eye drop aimer ring is visible as a complete circle around the eye drop dispenser bottle. 
     
     
         15 . The eye drop dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the eye drop aimer ring is comprised of a phosphorescent dye mixed with an elastically deformable material. 
     
     
         16 . A method for dispensing eye drops from an eye drop dispenser into an eye in the dark, the method comprising:
 inverting the eye drop dispenser over the eye while in the dark; and   aligning the eye drop dispenser with the eye, wherein aligning the eye drop dispenser includes manipulating the eye drop dispenser until light emitted from a light absorbing element on the inverted eye drop dispenser impinges on the eye.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the inverted eye drop dispenser is aligned with the eye when the light absorbing element is visible by the eye as a complete circle around the eye drop dispenser. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the light absorbing element being visible as the complete circle further indicates the eye drop dispenser is sufficiently spaced away from the eye. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the inverted eye drop dispenser is misaligned with the eye when the light absorbing element is visible as an eccentric image by the eye. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the light absorbing element is a luminescent ring extending around the eye drop dispenser.